Every race needs advance registration; there is no race day signup, and online entry closes at 11:59 p.m. on October 8, 2026. Each distance has a cap, and the marathon sold out in 2024 and 2025. Fees are not refundable or transferable.
Add to calendar: Apple or Outlook · Google
| Event | Distance | When | Entry fee | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, Oct 9, 2026 | ||||
| 1/2K Kids Fun Run | Kids | Oct 9, 20264:20 PM | See registration | – |
| 1K Kids Fun Run | Kids | Oct 9, 20264:30 PM | See registration | – |
| 10K Run/Walk | 10K | Oct 9, 20265:00 PM | See registration | 200 |
| 5K Run/Walk | 5K | Oct 9, 20265:00 PM | See registration | 400 |
| Saturday, Oct 10, 2026 | ||||
| Blue Ox Marathon | Marathon | Oct 10, 20268:30 AM | See registration | 300 |
| 26K Lake Loop | Other | Oct 10, 20269:00 AM | See registration | 225 |
| Half Marathon | Half Marathon | Oct 10, 20269:00 AM | See registration | 525 |
| B-Unified 2K Run, Walk and Roll | Other | Oct 10, 20269:10 AM | See registration | 50 |
Fees and dates are from the race's official website on the date shown below; confirm them there before you register.
Sunrise on race morning is at about 7:29 AM, and the 1/2K Kids Fun Run starts at 4:20 PM. The start sits about 1,330 feet above sea level.
Fees exclude processing fees. Comparisons use current entry fees and published results from races nearby.
The Sanford Center, 1111 Event Center Drive, Bemidji, MN 56601
The pin marks the address the race lists, which is usually the start. The organizers have not shared a course map with us yet.
Around October 10 the day usually runs from 45°F at dawn to 59°F in the afternoon, with measurable rain on about 20% of days. Cold snaps dip to 36°F and hot years reach 72°F.
Based on 75 days within a week of the date over the last 5 years, from historical weather for the start area. Not a forecast.
What runners should know about Bemidji Blue Ox Marathon, in brief, from the official race website.
Schedule and packet pickup
On Friday, October 9 the kids fun runs (1/2K at 4:20 p.m., 1K at 4:30 p.m., suggested for ages 12 and under, 150 spots combined) and the 5K and 10K run/walk (5 p.m., course open until 7 p.m.) all start at the Sanford Center. Leashed dogs are allowed in the 5K and 10K.
Course
All Saturday courses are paved, about half bike trail and half road, with shade in places and open stretches by the lake. The 26K (roughly 16 to 17 miles) circles Lake Bemidji from the Sanford Center. Half runners ride a bus to a start about 3 miles up the Paul Bunyan Trail and finish at the Sanford Center.
Shirt and medal
Every entrant gets a shirt (long sleeve tech for the adult races) and a medal, plus age group awards. Runners over 21 get a coupon for a free 10 oz beer at Bemidji Brewing. The finisher area is inside Gate 2 of the Sanford Center, and packets are picked up there on race weekend; they are not mailed.
Rules and FAQ
The marathon cutoff is 6.5 hours; slower runners can take a ride back or continue unsupported without a bib. Trails stay open to the public and road sections run on the left shoulder facing traffic. Pacers run the full and half. No strollers or unregistered companions; only service dogs in the long races.
More from the race
An untimed 2K for all abilities on Saturday at 9:10 a.m., open for one hour to walkers, runners, wheelchairs and other adaptive equipment. Guides must register too. It is run with the Bemidji State University Unified Club and its adapted physical education program.
Facts on this page come from the race's official website (bemidjiblueoxmarathon.com, bemidjiblueoxmarathon.com/races.html, bemidjiblueoxmarathon.com/marathon.html, bemidjiblueoxmarathon.com/26k-lake-loop--half-marathon.html), checked Sep 27, 2026. Confirm dates and fees there before you travel.
Organize this race? Add details or a correction
A volunteer run marathon weekend in northern Minnesota, founded in 2013, based at the Sanford Center in Bemidji. The USATF certified marathon is a Boston qualifier on a mostly flat mix of paved bike trail and paved road through downtown and around Lake Bemidji.